How old were you when you first starting loving good bourbon?

As you all can tell, I am new to the boards, and am eager to learn all I can from your collective experience(s). I'll go ahead and answer first:

I'm 24 now and have only within the past 6 or 8 months developed a taste for this wonderful beverage. I'm curious as to how old you all were when you were first turned onto bourbon, and began taking an active interest in expanding your knowledge/taste of it.

Re: How old were you when you first starting loving good bourbon?

I am afraid, actually. I've started spending way too much money on the stuff, and my income is pretty meager so this is serious business.

I suppose I should have included this with my original post, but it just occurred to me: who or what fostered your appreciation of it? I, for instance, was introduced to the higher-end stuff by a co-worker (an ardent appreciator himself, to be sure.) Through his encouragement I passed quickly from the "How can you drink this without wincing?" stage to "Hmm, this actually isn't so bad" to "Wow, this tastes really good and I'd like to sample other varieties" and finally to the "I can discern different flavors within each bottling and I can't believe I used to only drink Jim Beam and cokes before" level.

Re: How old were you when you first starting loving good bourbon?

I started getting curious when I took a part-time job in a liquor store almost 2 years ago (so, I was 45) -- I already was pretty conversant with the wine side of the store, but wanted to be able to help bourbon customers knowledgably, too. I started bringing home a couple of half-pints every couple of weeks or so, and discovered how different they could be. Then I started reading about the distilling process and visited a couple of distilleries (Maker's Mark, Labrot &amp; Graham, Buffalo Trace). Now I'm hooked on the (All-American) combination of the drink, the process and the history.

Re: How old were you when you first starting loving good bourbon

My first premium purchase was done on a trip to Bowling Green, KY...I wanted to bring back a superb bourbon as a souvenir. It was a 750ml of Blanton's. The fellow behind the counter asked where we were from, and I asked him how he could tell we weren't locals. I'll never forget his answer: "well, you see, the folks around here don't buy the good stuff." You could have knocked me over with a feather! The bourbon capitol of the world, and they drink rot-gut!!

Re: How old were you when you first starting loving good bourbon?

I was 42 when I had my first premium. In college back a few years, when I could afford it, I'd buy David Nicholson's 1843 as that was the premium in my area at the time. Boy did I feel sophisticated. But it wasn't until 2001 that I was invited to share Beam's Small Batch Sampler with my good friend and silent SB.commer Rick. My first bottle was Booker's and it's been no looking back from there.

Re: How old were you when you first starting loving good bourbon?

I think I made it though teething without any, but a bad illness around 4 or 5 brought on some hot toddies made of Jim Beam no less. I got better right away and was developing a taste for them about the time I got well.
There have been a few dry spells from then till now.

Re: How old were you when you first starting loving good bourbon?

Well, lets see, the farmers I went to college with tried to get me to like their moonshine. That didn't quite work out, so I went with bourbon, Markers to be exact, about 1991. Been fun and more expensive ever since!